Collapsible tent frames



Jan. 26, 1965 J. R. HIGGINS COLLAPSIBLE TENT FRAMES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 1, 1963 INVENTOR James R. H/gg/ns ATTORNEYS 1965 J. R. HIGGINS3167,81

COLLAPSIBLE TENT FRAMES Filed May 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 24 44 EINVENTOR L James R. H/gg/"ns H. ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()fltice3,167,081 Patented Jan. 26, 1965 This invention relates to improvementsin collapsible frames, and more particularly, to a collapsible framestructure designed for use with knock-down tents, cabanas, and the like.

In U.S. Patent No. 3,044,477, issued to me July 17, 1962, there isdisclosed an improved collapsible tent frame comprising essentially, acentral tubular support, a foldable base structure, and a foldablecanopy-supporting unit. Means are provided for automatically actuatingthe canopy-supporting unit to move the same into canopy supportingposition, comprising a coiled tension spring enclosed within the centraltubular support, which support is formed with an outer tubular memberand a cooperating tubular member telescopically mounted therein. One endof the. coiled spring is attached to a fitting secured to the inner wallof the outer tubular member, and the opposite end thereof is attached toa similar fitting secured to the inner wall of the inner tubular member,the foldable canopy-supporting unit being constructed and arranged withrespect to the telescopic tubular members, whereby when thecanopy-supporting unit is in the collapsed position, the spring isplaced under tension and retained in such condition until the retainingmeans is released, at the option of the operator, to permit relativevertical movement between the tubular members, and thus cause thecanopy-support unit to move into canopysupporting position.

The foldable base structure of my aforementioned patent is carried bythe outer tubular member, the free ends of the arms of the basestructure being severally connected to the free ends of co-planar armsof the canopysupporting unit by means of guy lines which function asretaining means for the tent cover and also as force transmitting meansto actuate the foldable arms of the base and cause the same to move intoor out of operative supporting position.

While the collapsible frame arnangement of my patent is satisfactoryboth from the standpoint of design and function, I have found thatredesign of certain of the basic components provides improved,relatively smooth operation, with concomitant reduction in the number ofparts or elements, ease in handling, and economics in manufacture. f

Anobject of the invention is to provide a collapsible frame which may beeasily and quickly erected with minimum eifort,-ar1d since stakes andguy lines are not required the frame may be erected indoors or out doorsas a childs play tent or used generally as a camping tent.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a collaps ible framewhich] is automatically expanded or erected, and manually collapsed,wherein by reason of the elimination of stakes and guy wires, togetherwith its portability due to light weight and minimum bulk, the frame isideally suited for use as a beach cabana.

, Yet another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible frameof comparatively light weight which maybe easily and safely erected andcollapsed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible frameadaptedjto be collapsed into a compact unit of minimum bulk, whereby toprovide for ready transportation and easy storage.

A still further object of the invention is, to provide" a frame whereinthe automatic erection mechanism is completely housed or encased, inorder to prevent possibility of injury during manipulation of the framewhen erecting or striking the tent.

Yet a still further object of the invention is to provide a collapsibletent frame characterized by smooth, controlled, automatic operation,consisting of relatively few parts of strong and sturdy construction,and not liable to get out of order even after long and continued use.

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to myimprovement, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to behereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that theseveral necessary elements, comprising my invention, may be varied inconstruction, proportions and arrangement, Without departing from thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown inthe accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practicaleffect, without limiting the improvements in their useful applicationsto the particular constructions, which for the purpose of explanation,have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the collapsible frame;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the frame, showing the tent coveroutlined in dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an elevational View, showing the frame in collapsed position;

FIG. 6 is a sectional detail view taken on line 66 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-4, theimproved collapsible frame comprises a central tubular support 1, afoldable base structure 2, and a foldable canopy-supporting unit 3. Thecentral tubular support 1 is adapted to house the means forautomatically moving the canopy-support unit into canopy-supportingposition, which means comprises a device 4, similar to an automatic doorclosure mechanism, telescopic-ally mounted within the central support, acylindrical shaped housing 5 carried by the closure device, said housingbeing in axial alignment therewith, and a pair of spring biased,manually operated buttons or plnngers 6 mounted within the housing5,;and adapted to selectively seat: in an opening 7 formed in thecentral support. The housing 5, and the central support 1 may be formedfrom any suitable lightweight metal tubing, and preferably from aluminumor magnesium-base alloys.

The canopy-supporting unit Scomprises aspider memher 8 secured to theupper portion of the central support 1, a collar 9 secured to endportion lil of the housing 11 of the closure device 4, a plunality ofribs 12 pivotally connected to the collar 9 and a plurality of strutsl3, piv otally connected at opposite ends to the spider 8 and to theribs 12, respectively. The body portion of the spider is formed withpairs of laterally projecting ears 14, apertu-red as at 15, to receivepivot pins 16, by means of which the lower ends of the struts 13 areseverally pivotally connected to the spider. The upper ends of thestruts are severally pivotally connected to the ribs 12, intermediatethe ends thereof by means of pins or rivets 17 slidably seated inregistering slots 18 formed in the side members of the ribs. Each of theribs is of U-shaped cross-section having a fiat canopy supportingsurface 19 (FIG. 2) and depending side flanges 20 to which the end of astrut is slidably mounted through the mediumof the pin and slotarnangement, as above described. The ribs are severally pivotallyconnected at their ends by means of pins 21 received in apertures 22 ofthe collar 9, which collar.

may be fixedly secured to the upper end portion iii of the housing 11 ofthe canopy-support actuating device, by swaging, welding, or by means ofset screws. The foldable base structure 2 receives and supports thetubular central support 1 in stable, vertical erected position, and asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this structure comprises a fitting 23, 'slidablymounted on the central support and retained in fixed position thereon bymeans of a set screw 24. The fitting may be in the form of a rectangularshaped casting 25 (FIG. 3) having a central opening 26 to receive thetubular support 1, and integral apertured lugs or cars 27 for thereception of pintles 28 used to connect the inner ends of :arms 29 forpivotal movement with respect to the casting. Each of the faces of thefitting 23 is formed with a recessed portion 35 forming a seat for avertical member 31 welded or otherwise secured to the inner end portionof an arm 29 whereby when the flat bearing surface of mem" ber 31 is incontact with the bottom of the compi e-mental recess in the fitting,stable horizontal equilibrium is assured. The arms 29 may be of anydesired length and cross-section, and the endportions thereof arerounded as at 32 so as to prevent snagging with the surface-on which theframe is supported during sliding movement of the arms when the frame isbeing placed in the operative canopy-supporting position.

As will be seen in FIG. 4, the device 4 used to move thecanopy-supporting unit 3 to canopy supporting position comprisescylindrical shaped housing 11, having a piston 33 and associated pistonrod 34 mounted for reciprocation therein against the tension of a coilspring 35 surrounding the piston rod, and interposed between the pistonhead 33 and the closed lower end of the housing 111.

i The upper end of saidhousing is closed by means of a cap member 36,adapted for threaded engagement with the end portion of the housing asat 37. The housing 5, within which the spring biased buttons or plungers6 'are supported, is carried by the canopy-supporting unit actuatingdevice and may be secured to the bottom or" said actuating device bywelding, swaging or the like, or by means of a fitting 38 attached tothe bottom of the actuating device by means of screws or stud bolts 39,as shown. It will be noted that the fitting 38 is adapted for threadedengage ment with the interior wall of the housing 5, whereby theactuator housing and plunger housing move as a unit. The end portion ofthe piston rod 34 exteriorly of housing 11 is provided with an openingto receive a bolt 49, by means of which the end of the piston isanchored to central tubular support 1. In order to permit verticalsliding movement of the housing 5, with respect to the central support,the housing is formed with longitudinal slots 41 (FIG. 7) which providenecessary clearance for the bolt 4% as the housing moves relatively tothe central support;

As described hereinabove, the collar assembly 9, including the aperturedears 9, is securedto the upper end portion 1d of the housing 11 of theactuating device 4, accordingly, when the frame is in the collapsedposition (FIG. the housing 11 has moved upwardly of the central support,and since the piston rod is anchored against movement by the bolt 40,the spring 35 is compressed, and retained in such condition until thehousing 5 is released from its locked position with respect to htecentral tubular support by actuating the spring biased plunger 6 whichrestrained the housing 5 against downward movement. Upon release of thehousing the spring 35 expands thus retracting the actuator housing andelevating the ribs 12 to their canopy supporting position. The speed orrapidity of movement of the housing of the actuator device 4 withrespect to the central tubular member 1 may be readily adjusted by meansof a conventional bleed screw 42" which is threadable through the capmember 36 of the actuator. By means of the actuator arrangement theforce of the spring transmitted to the housing 11 is cushioned by theair entrapped between the piston head 33 and the bottom of the cap 36,thus preventing any excessive jarring with resultant strain on the ribsandstruts.

The cover may be formed of any suitable material, such as canvas,synthetic plastics, for example, polyethylene, polyvinyl-chloride, orthe like, conformed to the outline of the frame, and provided With acentral grommet adapted to seat on the cap 36 of the actuator and permitaccess to the screw 42 for purposes of adjustment. The cover may be ofthe umbrella type, or it may comprise a top and side panels, and a lloorpanel constituting a unitary tent, and one or more of the side panelsmay be formed with flaps to cover the access opening of the tent. Thetent cover, not shown, except in phantom, is provided with a floor orbottom panel having a central opening,

to permit passage to the tubular support 2' therethrough, said floorresting on the arms 29 of the base unit and covering the same when thetent is in the operative erect and collapsed positions. The tent coveris secured to the frame by means of snap fasteners, turn buckles or thelike. When snap fasteners are used the cap member thereof is carried bythe cover and the stud is attached to the frame, for example, studs 4-3are secured to the ends of the rib members 12. Desirably, the bottom ofthe cover is provided with eyelets adapted to fit over studs 54 attachedto the ends of the arms of the base unit, said studs having turnableheads 45, whereby to securely retain the cover against displacement withrespect to the base when the frame is manipulated from erect tocollapsed position or vice versa. A suitable fastener, not shown, isalso used to retain the floor connected to one of the arms 29 of thebase, thus preventing the floor from sliding down across the members 29when the tent is in the fully collapsed position.

When the frame is used with a. cabana type cover, for example a beachcabana, the present invention contemplates use of a suitable rod adaptedto be driven into the sand to support the central tubular member indesired position, said member fitting down over the rod, which of coursewill be of sufiicient length and diameter to provide required support.It will be understood that the above described arrangement supplementsthe base structure 2, which may be subsequently adjusted tosubstantially fiat condition in the sand. 7

It will be appreciated that in use of the improved frame, that when thespring biased button 6 is actuated to permit, the ribs 12 to move fromthe collapsed position of FIG. 5 to erected position of FIG. 1, byreason of attachment of the cover to the ribs and to the arms 29, the

arms are pulled outwardly, and the base. structure. 2 is.

caused to fall into supporting position. The cover is maintained on theframe, except when it is removed for cleaning or repair.

While the arms 29 of the foldable base structure are shown as channelmembers having separate up-turned inserts at their pivotal and freeends, it will be understood that the arms may be formed from solid,relatively flat material adapted to be bent upwardly at their hingeends,

and at the opposite ends thereof to which the studs, 44 are attached.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodi-- 1. A collapsibletent frame comprising a central tubular support, a canopy-support unitcarried by the central support, said unit comprising a collapsible,truss-like structure having a plurality of ribs pivotally connected to acollar member, said collar member being secured to the upper end portionof a housing of an actuating device adapted to automatically move thecanopy-support unit into canopy-supporting position, a canopy supportactuat-' ing device within the housing comprising a spring-biased"piston, including a piston rod and associated piston head, the endportion of the piston rod extending outwardly through an opening in thebase of the housing and being restrained against movement with respectto the central tubular support whereby, when the canopy-support unit ismoved to collapsed position the actuator housing is subjected to aretractive force, means carried by the hous ing, adapted for engagementWith the central tubular support to prevent retraction of the housing,said housing being telescopically supported Within the central tubularsupport, a spider member fixedly secured to the top portion of thecentral support, a plurality of struts pivotally connected to the spidermember, the opposite ends of the struts being severally pivotally andslidably connected to the ribs, the canopy-support actuating devicebeing constructed and arranged to normally urge its housing intoretracted position With respect to the central tubular support, andthereby pivot the ribs about the collar into canopy-supporting position.

2. A collapsible tent frame in accordance with claim 1, wherein themeans carried by the housing adapted for engagement with the centraltubular support comprises a hollow, cylindrical shaped member secured tothe bottom of the actuator housing, said member having a pair of spaced,co-linear, spring-biased plungers housed therein, the free ends of theplungers being adapted to selectively seat in a registering openingformed in the central tubular support.

3. A collapsible tent frame comprising a central tubular support, acanopy-support unit carried by the central support, said unit comprisinga collapsible, truss-like structure having a plurality of ribs pivotallyconnected to a.

of said ribs comprising a channel member having a flat,

canopy-supporting surface and depending side flanges formed withregistering slots, the ends of the struts op posite their pivotalconnections to the spider member being provided with pins, the endportions of which are pivotally and slidably supported in the rib slots,the canopy-support actuating device being constructed and arranged tonormally urge its housing into retracted position with respect to thecentral tubular support, and thereby pivot the ribs about the collarinto canopy-supporting position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,207,649 12/16South -22 2,711,183 6/55 Lofstrand 135-50 2,794,556 6/57 Lego 2l1-l782,820,626 1/58 Hedeen 267-1 3,044,477 7/62 Higgins 135-2 HARRISON R.MOSELEY, Primary Examiner,

1. A COLLAPSIBLE TENT FRAME COMPRISING A CENTRAL TUBULAR SUPPORT, ACANOPY-SUPPORT UNIT CARRIED BY THE CENTRAL SUPPORT, SAID UNIT COMPRISINGA COLLAPSIBLE, TRUSS-LIKE STRUCTURE HAVING A PLURALITY OF RIBS PIVOTALLYCONNECTED TO A COLLAR MEMBERS SAID COLLAR MEMBER BEING SECURED TO THEUPPER END PORTION OF A HOUSING AN ACTUATING DEVICE ADAPTED TOAUTOMATICALLY MOVE THE CANOPY-SUPPORT UNIT INTO CANOPY-SUPPORTINGPOSITION, A CANOPY SUPPORT ACTUATING DEVICE WITHIN THE HOUSINGCOMPRISING A SPRING-BIASED PISTON INCLUDING A PISTON ROD AND ASSOCIATEDPISTON HEAD THE END PORTION OF THE PISTON ROD EXTENDING OUTWARDLYTHROUGH AN OPENING IN THE BASE OF THE HOUSING AND BEING RESTRAINEDAGAINST MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE CENTRAL TUBULAR SUPPORT WHEREBY,WHEN THE CANOPY-SUPPORT UNIT IS MOVED TO COLLAPSED POSITION THE ACTUATORHOUSING IS